Here are a few thoughts for you to use in a quiet time this Easter week.

Many blessings!

E: Earth

At his death Jesus came to the end of His time on earth. His time here was perfect, and He accomplished what He was sent to do. There were still people to be healed and still people who wanted to spend time with him, yet his work was complete.

• Do you worry that you are doing ‘enough’?
• Do you use busyness as a badge of honour?
• Do you think you let people down if you can’t help them?
• What are you doing that might not be part of your purpose on this earth?

A: Away

“An angel of the Lord descended from heaven and rolled the stone away” (Matthew 28:1-4). What was the purpose of rolling the stone away? To let Jesus out or to show He had left?

• Does the creator of the universe need to wait for angels to let Him out?
• Was the stone being rolled away to draw attention to the fact he had gone?
• Is there anything about your life that draws attention to the fact that Jesus has been there?

S: Sits

Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father for eternity.

“Now the point of what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven.” (Hebrews 8:1)

Jesus’s placement at the right hand of God allows him to intercede for us: “…Christ Jesus is the one who died – more than that, who was raised – who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.” (Romans 8:34)

• Does that give you comfort?
• Does that change the way that you pray?
• What if Jesus is next to the Father interceding for you now? What would you say?

T: Tears

Tears of Love

I asked the Lord to give me love –
His love for souls in sin;
Instead He gave me weeping eyes,
A broken heart within.

I asked Him why He gave me tears,
He took me back in time
To when my Saviour lived on earth,
When He was in His prime.

I saw Him go to where His friend
Was lying in a grave;
The sisters and their friends were grieved –
What love to them He gave.

You see my Saviour standing there
Was also grieved that day,
He wept great heaving tears with sobs
Till those who saw could say:

“Behold we see now how He loved.”
His tears revealed His heart
His love was evident through tears –
I saw God’s point in part.

And then He took me to the day
The people hailed their King
While Jesus enters to their cheers
The children run and sing.

But when He saw Jerusalem
Stretched out before His eye,
His soul was moved with grief for them;
It moved His heart to cry.

Oh, as I read those solemn words
I feel that they are sweet
For in them I behold His love
So perfect and complete.

To one more place He took me now,
At midnight I beheld
The Son of God bowed down with grief
In deepest sorrow held.

I heard His weeping, strong and deep,
But through it I discerned
He prayed for me – it melted me,
His love for me I learned.

With tearful joy I thanked the Lord
For answering my prayer,
For giving me His love for souls –
His tears, His heart, His care.

Poem by Christina Joy Hommes

E: Eternity

How does the prospect of eternity make you feel? From our earthly point of view this can be hard to get a grip of, and sometimes you might have thoughts like:

• Won’t I get bored?
• What will I do for all eternity??
• Won’t I miss life here?
• I quite like my earthly life, I don’t want to leave it!

That’s ok, chat to God about it, read the Bible and ask him through His Holy Spirit to make you excited for eternity!

R: Risen

• How does the news that Jesus has overcome death make a difference to your current circumstances?
• What if that news had been freshly released today, would it make a difference to your situation?

Happy Easter!